JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — (Editor's Note: The video above is from a previous report)
The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens says it's saddened to share the loss of one of the Zoo's most iconic reptiles, Iris the West African Mamba.
The Zoo says the loss is due to age-related causes.
She was more than seven feet in length and a beloved ambassador for her species, says the Zoo.
"She came to us in 1998 for the opening of the Africa Herp House in Elephant Plaza," the Zoo said in a statement. "At 25, she was the oldest of her species at any AZA accredited organization."
The Zoo said, as with most mambas, Iris was very intelligent.
"She participated in a shift training program, in which she voluntarily moved to a secondary habitat to ensure safety when working with this highly respected venomous species."
The Zoo says her success in the program has been a model for safe husbandry practices with mambas for many institutions over the years.
"Keepers will miss her calm demeanor, such as when she drank from the simulated rain they gave her each day."